by Room 215 18 Replies latest jw friends
215,
I agree with Prisca, your posts like this are in no way too long. Keep up the good work.
Going through my wife's papers to fix our filing system, I found a Bethel Receipt belonging to her exhusband Garry, who was in Bethel in 80 or 81, it was a 40 cent bill for an xray, did you guys have to pay for medical care?
YERUSALYIM
"Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
[Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]
G'day Roomie,
I, too, always look out for your threads on the board knowing that I will find there a challenging and interesting discussion based on a borg background. Thanks.
BTW I can really relate to this comment of yours "it's rare for anyone to go through the Bethel experience and come out with his/her idealism intact". Amen to that. The land of Oz has a number who can echo your comment.
Cheers,
Ozzie
"It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."
Anonymous
Nice post.
I have always wondered about why some of these menial sorts of jobs like dish-duty etc took precedence over the all-important meetings. I was never in Bethel, but their stupid little rules and policies and proceedures irritated the hell out of me.
The ridiculous emphasis on meetings and service for the rank and file over actually living like a Christian was also disturbing. Essentially that is all that defines being a Witness, and when these disappear, what sets you apart from anyone else really?
Path
Hello Room 215:
I thank you too, for your personal reflections on your Bethel days. Even after having my eyes opened for about a year now, these kinds of details still make me just shake my head in disbelief at how easily we, the general rank and file, were (and they still are) fooled. So many of us held Bethel life in such high esteem as an example of mature spirituality.
These stories actually are a help to me, as they are a continual reminder of the hypocrisy I hate so much in the WTS.
Thank you and please tell us more!
Had Enough
"Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."...Margaret Mead
Just an added thought....
It really rankles me to think of how many times I stood up to criticisms about Bethel-life and the role of the presidents and such ones. I crowed about their humility and how service and meeting attendance was just as important to them and it was (supposed to be) to us. That's why is was important for us to put our "all" into those things..."because even the president with his busy schedule would be meeting the required hours of service and meetings". HAH!!!!
Now I have to eat crow, lol, but I don't care about that...I'm just grateful each day to be here to learn the truth about what I thought I knew!!!!!
Had Enough
"Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."...Margaret Mead
amen Sis Had Enough!
Dave's intriguing five-part epic seems to have rekindled an interest in Bethel lore... thought I'd pull this out of the dustbin for another go-round...
Hey Roomy,
I was just going to say what you last said. These Bethel stories are awesome and I have to wonder how many of those little bastards.....are reading Daves thread and this one, and seeing things as they really are from an honest viewpoint that i'm sure they can relate to.
Because it was policy that work assignments took precedence over all other obligations including and especially meetings and field service, many would find some pretext to stay back and piddle away at their desk or workbench. This was particularly true of the stafers assigned to the maintenance of the Bethel home.
In reality.........the love and desire to really get their message to people, are only in the hearts of few. For most dubs......especially in more recent times.......it is simply "put in your time and exist,"
I think the reality of what they are suppose to feel and love .....doesn't exist in most dubs which is why so many now leave for reasons 'REAL DUBS" would consider permisable. There are few witnesses in comparison to the many.....who really live and believe what they are suppose to love and believe.
Gumby
I read a post by Room 215 on another thread today and decided to check out his older posts.
Another JWN treasure awaiting your perusal.
Oh, and a comment on this thread. A former Bethelite once told me that their instructions about sharing this kind of info were:
What happens in Vegas Bethel, stays in Vegas Bethel.
om
